Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal & Plant Health Agency
Veterinary & Science Policy Advice Team - International Disease Monitoring
Updated Outbreak Assessment #16
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N8 in the UK
and Europe
22nd October 2017 Ref: VITT/1200 Avian Influenza in Europe
Disease report
Since our last update on 29th September 2017, in Europe, reports of H5N8 HPAI have
continued in a number of countries. Italy has reported seventeen more outbreaks of H5N8
HPAI in Bergamo, Brescia, Ferrara, Sondrio, Vicenza and Cremona. The poultry involved
included fattening turkeys and layers and seven smallholdings. In all cases, disease
control measures are in place; most introductions are considered to be primary incursions
with little secondary spread observed. One of the outbreaks was reported in one of the
largest layer farms in Italy, with over 850,000 birds to be destroyed. Wild birds positive for
H5N8 HPAI have been reported in 3 cases (mute swans, Cygnus olor, one in Como and
two cases in Verbano). More information on the individual infected premises can be found
at the website of the Italian regional laboratory (IZSV, 2017)

It's Saturdays job to seal the entry point... I have NO idea how to get them out of the upstairs rooms though!! I guess I could open the windows and flap a broom about until they leave or drop dead from a heart attack!